Video Case Studies: The What And Why

January 25, 2019

Case studies are fantastic things. They are one of the most effective content marketing tools out there, with over 70% of B2B marketers seeing a huge spike in success when using case studies over other forms of content. In short, they’re just all-round good things to have in your marketing arsenal.

After all, a case study doesn’t just tell your customers what your business does. They could read that anywhere on your website. Instead, they showcase how your services can work for you then by highlighting the success stories of your current customers. They increase the confidence prospects have in your services, and showcase the true value of your company. And when they’re put in video format, with a real person saying amazing things about you, they’re unstoppable.

But how do you create a great video case study for your business?

Have A Plan

Before you go diving right in and interviewing clients, you need a plan first. Otherwise it’s a bit like diving into shark tank without an oxygen tank. You’ll probably survive, but it won’t be a pretty process. Unplanned video case studies often end up rambling, long and missing key points. Which can be frustrating for the client if you have to go back and re-interview them because you missed something the first time around. So before you start, here are a few things you should think about:

How long will the project take? Will the interviews be done in a few hours, or do you need a few days to get everything you need?

1.Who needs to be included in this project? Is it just you, the business owner? Or were you working with a team who may be able to support you? Make sure you keep them in the loop throughout the process.

2. Where are you going to film your video case study? Will it be at one location or in multiple? Indoors or outdoors?

3. Make sure you have everything you need to make this video case study a success first time around. Create a mock storyline for the video, including a really snappy, captivating introduction to hook viewers.

4. What are you going to ask the client? A lot of people’s minds go blank when faced with an expectant client, so it’s best to have something prepared in advance. Focus in on the things you want to highlight, and include a variety of questions to keep it engaging.

5. Have a plan for keeping it short. This might mean timing the interview and running it through a few times, or it might be editing together the snippets you want from a long showreel. Either way, you should try and keep your video case study under 3 minutes long so that you don’t lose your audience.

Now that you’ve got a good plan in place, it’s time to create a video case study! And surprise surprise, we have some tips for you.

Top Tips For Video Case Studies

Address The Challenges Of The Customer:

The crux of any video case study is the problems you solve for your customers. That means you need to address the real challenges that real customers have in their day-to-day lives. You can draw these out either directly, or by having the customer explain it in the video. Talk to the customer before the cameras start rolling to make sure they know what you will be covering and the sort of thing you’d like them to say.

Reveal Your Solutions:

Again, one of the most important elements of a video case study, so don’t leave it out! This is the part that shows your potential customers how your products or services can solve their problems. Having your customer explain exactly how you solved their problems, and even having them do a demonstration if possible, is a really powerful thing.

Show Real Results:

If you can, showcasing those real results is a fantastic addition to any video case study. Sometimes that might be them using the product, other times it might be graphs to depict success. If you can include something like this, do.

Get Help If You Need It:

And finally, if you need help, ask for it. There are plenty of companies out there ,including us) that can provide video case study services on a retainer or an ad hoc basis, so you don’t have to worry about doing any of this. Instead, you just need to pick the client, and we will work out the rest. From storyboarding to post-production and even promotion, a good video company can create a slick, professional video case study every time. So remember, you don’t have to do all this alone!

At Ginger Video, there’s nothing we love more than a good video case study. They are such a powerful marketing tool, and just like any content you create they have the power to win you new customers. By showing off your success stories, you can create a trustworthy brand, a strong online presence and give prospects on the fence the confidence they need to say ‘yes’. If you’d like to know more about creating video case studies for your business, just get in touch with the team at Ginger Video today.